List of Great Lakes museum and historic ships
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Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
museum and historic ships, including surviving hulls, museum or historic ships at risk, other surviving historic hulls and notable partial ships.


Museum ships and boats, surviving hulls


Lakers: bulk carriers

Lake freighter Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that operate on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. Since the late 19th century, lakers have carried bulk cargoes of ma ...
s, or lakers, are
bulk carrier A bulk carrier or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo — such as grains, coal, ore, steel coils, and cement — in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, eco ...
vessels which ply the Great Lakes. The best-known variety is the oreboat, depicted in songs from
Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1 ...
,
Stan Rogers Stanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and ...
and others. Some classic-design lakers still operate, including a few with steam engines.


SS ''Col. James M Schoonmaker'' (Toledo, Ohio)

'' Col. James M. Schoonmaker'' sailed from 1911 to 1980. She was first owned by the Shenango Furnace Company under her present name and was sold to the
Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., formerly Cliffs Natural Resources, is a Cleveland, Ohio-based company that specializes in the mining, beneficiation, and pelletizing of iron ore, as well as steelmaking, including stamping and tooling. It is the larges ...
, which renamed her ''Willis B Boyer''. ''Col. James M. Schoonmaker'' was the largest bulk freighter in the world when commissioned. In an ambitious restoration, ''Col James M. Schoonmaker'' was re-christened with its original name July 1, 2011, on the 100th anniversary of the ship's launching in
Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnat ...
. In October 2012, she was moved with great fanfare from her longtime berth at International Park in Toledo downriver to a site next to the new home of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Ship and museum which opened to the public in Spring 2014.


SS ''William G Mather'' (Cleveland, Ohio)

''William G. Mather'' was a laker built in 1925 and a former flagship for the
Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., formerly Cliffs Natural Resources, is a Cleveland, Ohio-based company that specializes in the mining, beneficiation, and pelletizing of iron ore, as well as steelmaking, including stamping and tooling. It is the larges ...
. It is now a
maritime museum A maritime museum (sometimes nautical museum) is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on large bodies of water. A subcategory of maritime museums are naval museums, which focus on navies and the milita ...
, open to the public, in Cleveland's North Coast Harbor.


SS ''William A Irvin'' (Duluth, Minnesota)

was named for the
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of U.S. Steel at the time of its launching. It was the first laker with a welded design, and served as the flagship of US Steel's Great Lakes fleet from her launch in 1938 until 1975. It is open for tours at the Great Lakes Floating Maritime Museum in
Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...
.


SS ''Meteor'' (1896—Superior, Wisconsin)

is the last surviving ship using whaleback design; she is a museum in
Superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places *Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lake ...
, home of the
American Steel Barge Company The Superior Shipbuilding Company was originally called the American Steel Barge Company, and based in Duluth, Minnesota. It was founded by Scottish Alexander McDougall (ship designer), Captain Alexander McDougall who founded it so he could prod ...
(where 33 out of the 44 total whalebacks were built starting in 1891).


SS ''Valley Camp'' (Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan)

was a typical oreboat, who served the National Steel Corporation,
Republic Steel Corporation Republic Steel is an American steel manufacturer that was once the country's third largest steel producer. It was founded as the Republic Iron and Steel Company in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899. After rising to prominence during the early 20th Centu ...
and Wilson Transit Co. during her 1917–1966 working life. In 1968, she became a museum ship on the waterfront of Sault Ste. Marie, downstream of the
Soo Locks The Soo Locks (sometimes spelled Sault Locks but pronounced "soo") are a set of parallel locks, operated and maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, that enable ships to travel between Lake Superior and the low ...
. She holds many relics from (including two of ''Edmund Fitzgerald''s mauled lifeboats).


Passenger-freight steamers


SS ''Keewatin'' (Port McNicoll, Ontario)

is a former
Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
passenger liner A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose primary function is to carry passengers on the sea. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freig ...
. Built in Scotland in 1907, the boat steamed between Fort William and Port McNicoll for over 50 years until she was sold for scrap in 1967. Saved from the wrecker's torch, ''Keewatin'' was towed to
Saugatuck, Michigan Saugatuck is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 865 at the 2020 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous. Originally a lumber town and port, Saugatuck, along wi ...
for use as a museum in 1968. She is the last unmodified Great Lakes passenger liner in existence, and an example of Edwardian luxury. ''Keewatin'' is one of the world's last coal-fired steamships. A June 24, 2007 ''Toronto Star'' article documented a Canadian effort to see the steamer returned to Dominion waters as a museum ship at Port McNicoll. The effort to repatriate "The Kee" bore fruit on June 23, 2012 (100 years to the day after she first entered Port McNicoll), when the ship returned to her former berth before a crowd of thousands.


SS ''Milwaukee Clipper'' (Muskegon, Michigan)

, another passenger steamer. The ''Clipper'' is the last Great Lakes American Passenger Ship of her kind. The SD Milwaukee Clipper was built in 1904 as the SS Juniata, She carried 350 passengers and cargo between Buffalo, NY, and Duluth, MN from 1905 through 1936, when she was tied up with an uncertain future. In 1940, the SS ''Juniata'' was purchased and was sent to Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, to be rebuilt with an all-steel superstructure. She was christened as the SS ''Milwaukee Clipper'' in 1941, and carried 900 passengers and 120 automobiles between Muskegon, MI, and Milwaukee, WI. The run lasted until 1970 when she was pulled out of service. After 1970 the ship was saved as an attraction in Chicago. Later, she was moved to Hammond, IN, where the ship was going to be used as a casino. The Clipper was named a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The Clipper was brought back to Muskegon MI,  in 1997 to be used as a museum and banquet/convention center where she sits today. The Clipper retains the last American-Built Quadruple Expansion Steam Engine.


MS ''Norgoma'' (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)

MS ''Norgoma'', berthed in the
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is at the St. Mary's River on the Canada–US border. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay. The Ojibwe, the indigenous Anishinaabe inhabitants ...
, was built as a steamer carrying freight and passengers in 1950. She ran from Owen Sound to Sault Ste. Marie from 1950 to 1963 on the "Turkey Trail". In 1963 ''Norgoma'' was converted to a car ferry, her former role taken over by trucks, buses and automobiles, and she ran between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island. At this time, ''Norgoma'' was converted to diesel power. She became a museum ship in 1977.


SS ''Norisle'' (

Manitoulin Island Manitoulin Island is an island in Lake Huron, located within the borders of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the bioregion known as Laurentia. With an area of , it is the largest lake island in the world, large enough that it has over 100 ...
, Ontario)

is a museum ship berthed permanently at the Manitowaning Heritage Complex. It is one of three surviving ships, the others being ''Norgoma'' and ''Normac''. It was built in 1946, the first ship built in post-World War II Canada using engines intended for a Royal Canadian destroyer. ''Norisle'' ran until 1974, when it was replaced by MS ''Chi-Cheemaun''. Plans call for towing and scuttling ''Norisle'' as a tourist dive site. A 200-member group, Friends of The Norisle, has formed to oppose her sinking and supportive articles and letters to the editor have appeared in the ''Manitoulin Expositor''.


Passenger and excursion steamers


SS ''Columbia'' (Detroit, Michigan)

is a former
Boblo Island Bois Blanc Island, commonly called Boblo Island, is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg, Ontario. The island is about long, wide and in size. The main northbound shipping channel of th ...
excursion boat, built in 1902, which has been in storage since 1991. A New York City group intends to save ''Columbia'' and use it on the Hudson River, like the old Hudson day steamers (all of which have been lost).


SS ''Ste Claire'' (Detroit)

, a former Boblo Island excursion boat, was built in 1910. Like her Bob-Lo Amusement Park running mate ''Columbia'', she was designed by Frank Kirby. In July, 2018 an apparently accidental fire destroyed most of her remaining wooden superstructure. Her future afterward was unassuaged.


Railroad and auto ferries


SS ''City of Milwaukee'' (Manistee, Michigan)

was a
railroad ferry A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train f ...
of the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company which was built in 1931 to replace a previous ferry (, lost in 1929 with all hands). She sailed for the company for 40 years (and another five for the Ann Arbor Railroad) before laying up in Frankfort in 1982, where she remained until being sold as a museum. Later moved to her present berth in Manistee, she is open for tours as the last unmodified, classic railroad ferry.


''Trillium'' (Toronto, Ontario)

The side-wheel steam ferry (1910), reactivated in 1976, calls Toronto home. Several vintage 1930s screw ferries serve alongside her.


Tugboats and workboats

Their small size and hardy construction make tugboats a favorite as museum ships. Their smaller size means lower maintenance costs (and maintenance can often be performed by volunteer crews). Three steam tugs survive, in addition to three former Army tugs later used for other purposes.


Steam tug ''Edna G'' (Two Harbors, Minnesota)

The steam tugboat ''
Edna G ''Edna G'' is a tugboat which worked the Great Lakes and is now preserved as a museum ship. ''Edna G'' was built by the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company in 1896 for the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad at a cost $35,397.50. She was named for the daug ...
'' is in retirement as a floating display. Built in 1896, it was one of the last operating steam tugboats on the Great Lakes and is on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.


Steam tug ''Ned Hanlan'' (Toronto)

The steam tug has been preserved ashore as a static display on the grounds of the
Canadian National Exhibition The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day ...
. Launched in 1932, the tug is one of three preserved Great Lakes steam tugs (the others are ''James Whalen'' and ''Edna G''. It was named for the rower Ned Hanlan.


United States Army tug ''LT-5'' (Oswego, New York)

The former World War II United States Army tugboat ''Major Elisha K. Henson'', built in 1943, participated in the
Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
. An operational floating display, it worked as a commercial tug (''Nash'') for 30 years.


United States Army Corps tug ''Bayfield'' (Duluth, Minnesota)

A United States Army Corps of Engineers tugboat, ''Bayfield'', serves as a popular photo shoot at Duluth's Canal Park.


United States Army Corps ''Tug Ludington'' (Kewaunee, Wisconsin)

The former United States Army Corps of Engineers tugboat ''
Tug Ludington The ''Tug Ludington'' (formerly ''Major Wilbur Fr. Browder'') is a World War II era tugboat built in 1943 at Jacobson Shipyard in Oyster Bay, New York. The U.S. Army designated the tug LT-4. The tug's armament consisted of two 50 caliber machine g ...
'', built as an Army tug in 1943, also partook in the D-Day invasion at Normandy. A non-operational floating display, it is supervised by ex-Major Wilbur Browder.


Tug ''John Purves'' (Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin)

The 1919 tug ''Butterfield'' was built for World War I, but was sold for the Lake Superior
pulpwood Pulpwood is timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production. Applications * Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 15% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more gene ...
trade. During World War II, the boat was taken into government service as the USAT ''Butterfield'', LT-145, serving in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. The Roen Steamship Company acquired the tug, renaming it ''John Purves'' (after the firm's general manager) and using it as a salvage vessel. It was later donated to the Door County Maritime Museum.


Steam tug ''James Whalen'' (Thunder Bay, Ontario)

The 1905 icebreaking tugboat ''James Whalen'' serves as a popular photo shoot at Kaministiquia Park. She was rescued in 1977, after she was slated for scrapping.


Tug ''Ohio'' (Toledo, Ohio)

Great Lakes Towing Company tug ''Ohio'' was built in 1903 as MFDS No.15 it operated as MFDS No.15 until it was retired in 1948 and sold to Great Lakes Towing, who then renamed her ''Lauren C Turner''. She was renamed to ''Ohio'' in 1973 she would operate until 2015 when she was taken out of service. In 2018 she was towed from Cleveland to Toledo, where she was converted into a museum ship at the National Museum of The Great Lakes.


Tug ''Ancaster'' (Owen Sound, Ontario)

The Small warping tug Ancaster was built in 1951 operating under 3 owners and sinking once in 1979 but was raised in 1982 serving until 1991 when she became a permanent display at the Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum she is famous in Canada for appearing on the back of the 1 dollar bill.


Tug ''Oconto'' (Burns Harbor, Indiana)

Built for the US army in 1953 as the ST-2162 she would transferred to the US Army Corps of Engineers and renamed ''Oconto'' and would serve with the Army for many years and would serve at the port of Burns Harbor for a few years before being brought on land to be a permanent display.


Tug ''Wilhem Baum'' (South Haven, Michigan)

Built in 1923 as the ''Capitan A Canfield'' for the US Army Corps of engineers serving with them until 1961. In 1965 she was bought by the King Company and renamed ''Julie Dee'' and then sold again to Beacon Contracting in 2003. She was retired and donated to the Michigan Maritime museum but sank at her dock in 2014. She was raised in 2016 and restored. She is now out of the water as a permeant display.


Naval ships

The Great Lakes are home to a large number of naval craft serving as museums (including five submarines, two destroyers and a cruiser). The Great Lakes are not known for submarine activity, but the undersea service fires the imagination of many. Three former army tugs are museums, having come to the lakes in commercial roles.


USS ''Cobia'' (Manitowoc, Wisconsin)

The World War II submarine is operated by the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and is a good example of submarine restoration. It features the oldest radar set in the world.


USS ''Cod'' (Cleveland, Ohio)

is a
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
which was brought to
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...
in 1959 as a training platform for Navy Reservists. ''Cod'' is a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...
, also a memorial to the 3,900 submariners lost in their nation's service during the century of the
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
's Submarine Force. She was awarded seven
battle stars A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...
for wartime service. ''Cod'' is the only World War II
Fleet submarine A fleet submarine is a submarine with the speed, range, and endurance to operate as part of a navy's battle fleet. Examples of fleet submarines are the British First World War era K class and the American World War II era ''Gato'' class. The t ...
that is still intact and in her wartime configuration. ''Cod'' has been a
museum ship A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...
in Cleveland's North Coast Harbor since 1 May 1976.


USS ''Croaker'' (Buffalo, NY)

The World War II submarine was brought to Buffalo in 1988, where it serves alongside USS ''The Sullivans'' and USS ''Little Rock''. It was modernized in 1953 as a hunter-killer submarine during the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...
, and resides at the Buffalo Naval and Military Park. is a and currently a museum ship in Bay City, Michigan.


HMCS ''Haida'' (Hamilton, Ontario)

The destroyer is one of two surviving Canadian World War II warships.


USS ''Little Rock'' (Buffalo)

A Cold-War-era cruiser, is one of three cruisers preserved as museum ships in the US. It resides at the Buffalo Naval and Military Park.


''LST-393'' (Muskegon, Michigan)

''LST-393'', a World War II tank landing ship launched in 1943, is available for tours at West Michigan Dock and Market in Muskegon. With the camouflage paint she wore at the end of the war, the ship worked as an automobile ferry between 1947 and 1973 as MV ''Highway 16'' (after US Route 16, which was bridged by the ship between Muskegon and Milwaukee, Wisconsin). It was awarded three battle stars for war service.


HMCS Ojibwa "S72" (Port Burwell, Ontario)

S72 HMCS Ojibwa S72 was an
Oberon-class submarine The ''Oberon'' class was a ship class of 27 British-designed submarines operated by five different nations. They were designed as a direct follow-on from the ''Porpoise'' class: physical dimensions were the same, but stronger materials were us ...
, laid down as HMS ''Onyx'' at Chatham Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, UK. It was purchased by Canada in 1962 and commissioned into the Canadian navy in 1965, served primarily in the Maritime Forces Atlantic until its decommissioning in 1998.


USS ''Silversides'' (Muskegon)

The World War II submarine was displayed at Chicago's Navy Pier. It moved to Muskegon in 1987.


USS '' The Sullivans'' (Buffalo)

The World War II was named for five brothers killed in the line of duty. It earned nine battle stars in World War II and two for
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
service. It resides at the Buffalo Naval and Military Park.


U-boat ''U-505'' (Chicago, Illinois)

The was captured during World War II, allowing the Allies to capture its code books and the German Enigma code machine. Slated for sinking after the war for gunnery practice, the sub was instead donated to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. It was later moved inside to a climate-controlled environment (undergoing an extensive restoration), and was re-opened to the public in 2005.


Large government vessels


USCGC ''Acacia'' (Manistee, Michigan)

is a retired buoy tender with icebreaking capabilities serving as a museum ship moored near the railroad car ferry, SS ''City of Milwaukee''. The World War II-vintage vessel is a tribute to the black-painted workhorses of the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...
. A ribbon-cutting (announcing the ship's new role as a museum ship) was celebrated in Manistee on August 13, 2011.


BFD ''Edward M Cotter'' (Buffalo)

This 1900
Buffalo Fire Department The Buffalo Fire Department provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the city of Buffalo, New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in th ...
fireboat A fireboat or fire-float is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with firefighting equipme ...
, still in use for firefighting and icebreaking, is a National Historic Landmark.


MS ''Georgian Queen'' (Penetanguishene, Ontario)

''Georgian Queen'' is a former
Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues ...
icebreaking cutter which has been converted into a tour boat.


CCG ''Alexander Henry'' (Thunder Bay, Ontario)

Former Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker resides at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes as a display and a bed-and-breakfast. Launched in 1958, she and the former USCGC ''Mackinaw'' serve as the Great Lakes' two surviving large red-hulled icebreakers.


USCGC ''Mackinaw'' (Mackinaw City, Michigan)

is a vessel designed for icebreaking duties on the Great Lakes. ''Mackinaw'' was home-ported in
Cheboygan, Michigan Cheboygan ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,876. It is the county seat of Cheboygan County. The name of the city shares the name of the county and probably has its origin from the ...
during its active service. Due to ''Mackinaw''s age and expensive upkeep, the cutter was decommissioned and replaced with a smaller multipurpose cutter (, which was commissioned in Cheboygan the same day). The old ''Mackinaw'' moved under its own power on June 21, 2006 from the port of its decommissioning to a permanent berth (at the dock) at the ship's namesake port,
Mackinaw City, Michigan Mackinaw City ( ) is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 846 at the 2010 census, the population increases during summertime, including an influx of tourists and seasonal workers who serve ...
, where she now serves as the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum.


USCGC ''McLane'' (Muskegon, Michigan)

USCGC ''McLane'' (WSC-146) was a "buck and a quarter" cutter designed to chase rum-runners during
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholi ...
. During World War II it served out of Ketchikan, Alaska and is credited with sinking the Japanese submarine ''RO-32''. A Chicago-based
Sea Scout Sea Scouts are a part of the Scout movement, with a particular emphasis on boating and other water-based activities on the sea, rivers or lakes (canoeing, rafting, scuba, sailboarding). Sea Scouts can provide a chance to sail, cruise on boats, ...
troop acquired ''McLane'' after it was decommissioned in 1969, and the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum acquired the cutter in 1993.


Port Huron Lightship

Located ashore at the head of the St Clair River in Port Huron, it is the Great Lakes' one surviving
lightvessel A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship that acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction. Although some records exist of fire beacons being placed on ships in Roman times, t ...
.


At-risk vessel

The following historic museum ship did face an uncertain future: *, a former museum ship, was offered for sale by its owner (the Port Huron Museum). In November 2017, ''Bramble'' was moved to Port Huron, MI, where it currently functions as a
museum ship A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...
.


Surviving partial ships

*SS ''Ridgetown'' was partially sunk as a breakwater (with stack and cabins intact) near Toronto, at Port Credit. Built in 1905 as SS William E. Corey, it is one of the oldest surviving hulls on the lake. There are only few ships older, such as the J. B. Ford. Its silhouette is an example of the appearance of early-1900s bulk carriers. * Benson Ford was named after Henry Ford's grandson, and was the 1924 flagship of the Ford Motor Company. The pilot house is located in
Put-in-Bay, Ohio Put-in-Bay is a village located on South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay Township, Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, east of Toledo. The population was 154 at the 2020 census. The village is a popular summer resort and recreational destinati ...
, a private museum residence owned by Bryan Kasper of Sandusky, Ohio. It has been featured in magazines and on television shows, such as HGTV's ''Extreme Homes'', MTV Cribs and the Travel Channel's ''Extreme Vacation Homes''. The pagoda-style cabin of the Ford provides a glimpse of what one of the largest freighters on the lakes looked like. *The steamer ''Lewis G Harriman''s bow and bow superstructure are preserved in Detour, Michigan. ''Lewis G Harriman'' (launched as the purpose-built cement steamer ''John W Board'') was scrapped, but the bow was saved as a residence. It was restored in the ''Board's'' colors. *The pilot house of ''William Clay Ford'' is part of the
Dossin Great Lakes Museum The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is an historical maritime museum in Detroit, Michigan. Located on The Strand on Belle Isle Park along the Detroit River, this museum places special interest on Detroit's role on national and regional maritime his ...
on Belle Isle, Detroit. The bulk freighter was built in 1952 and scrapped in 1987. *The past warship, converted into a Great Lakes freighter, SS ''Joseph H Thompson''s pilot house was removed when being converted to a barge. * SS Amasa Stone was partially sunk as a breakwater at Charlevoix, Michigan. She was built in 1905, and she is one of the oldest surviving hulls on the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
. Before sinking everything was removed from the ship including the
Superstructure A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships. Aboard ships and large boats On water craft, the superstruct ...
. * was a
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
bulk freighter that was built in 1914. She was decommissioned in 1970 and was turned into a stationary crane ship that functioned until 2015 when the ship was towed to the
Menominee The Menominee (; mez, omǣqnomenēwak meaning ''"Menominee People"'', also spelled Menomini, derived from the Ojibwe language word for "Wild Rice People"; known as ''Mamaceqtaw'', "the people", in the Menominee language) are a federally recog ...
river awaiting scrapping. * was a long
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
bulk freighter that was built in 1900 and she was given the title Queen of the Lakes due to her length. She sailed from 1900, to 1962 when she was sunk as a breakwater at
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
,
Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
where she was buried under 39 feet of dredgings from the
Cuyahoga River The Cuyahoga River ( , or ) is a river located in Northeast Ohio that bisects the City of Cleveland and feeds into Lake Erie. As Cleveland emerged as a major manufacturing center, the river became heavily affected by industrial pollution, so m ...
. * was a long
Lake freighter Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that operate on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. Since the late 19th century, lakers have carried bulk cargoes of ma ...
that was built in 1900 by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company of
Wyandotte, Michigan Wyandotte ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and it is part of the c ...
, for the Eddy-Shaw Transit Company of
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. She was sunk on July 4, 1960 in
Ontario Place Ontario Place is an entertainment venue, event venue, and park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The venue is located on three artificial landscaped islands just off-shore in Lake Ontario, south of Exhibition Place, and southwest of Downtown Toronto. ...
where she remains to this day. *The hull of the ''E.W. Oglebay'' still survives as part of the dock at Drummond Island. She is the oldest surviving hull on the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
, being built in 1896. *The pilot house from the ''Thomas Walters'' survives as part of the Ashtabula Maritime & Surface Transportation Museum in
Ashtabula, Ohio Ashtabula ( ) is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, and the center of the Ashtabula micropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the Ashtabula River on Lake Erie, northeast of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, the cit ...
. It's noted that the Walters was the freighter built to replace the , which ran aground on Sawtooth Reef,
Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
. *The Pilot house of the ''Irvan L. Clymer'' is located on Pier B in
Duluth, Minnesota , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior, Wisconsin, Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: Downtown Dul ...
. Built in 1917 and scrapped in 1994 the ''Irvan L. Clymer''s pilot house sits at the end of the pier. *The pilot house of the ''Frontanec'' (1966) is preserved in
Two Harbors, Minnesota Two Harbors is a city in and the county seat of Lake County, Minnesota, United States, along the shore of Lake Superior. The population was 3,633 at the 2020 census. Minnesota State Highway 61 serves as a main route in Two Harbors. Gooseberry ...
after the ''Frontanec'' ran aground in 1979 and scrapped in 1985 in Duluth Minnesota her pilot house now sits near the light house at Two Harbors. The ''Frontanec''s original pilot house from 1923 is now preserved in Fairport Harbor, Ohio the original pilot house was removed during the 1966 1967 Season winter layup. *The pilot house of the ''George Himdman'' is on display in Duluth Minnesota in service from 1950 to 1987 being scrapped overseas her pilot house now serves as a bike rental shop. *The pilot house of the SS Calcite is located on the grounds of 40 Mile Lighthouse Park in Rogers City, Michigan. The Calcite was built in 1912 and was at the time the largest self-unloading ship in the world.


Failed museum attempts (ships scrapped)

Several other lakers nearly became museums but, due to funding, political opposition or other causes, were scrapped: *SS ''Alabama'': Goodrich Transit Line steamer later cut down as a barge, scrapped in 2009 *SS ''Canadiana'':
Crystal Beach Park Crystal Beach Park was an amusement park in Crystal Beach, Ontario from 1888 to 1989. It was serviced by the ''Canadiana'' passenger ferry in Buffalo, making it a popular tourist destination for both Canadians and Americans. The park was known ...
boat scrapped after preservationist opposition * Three-masted schooner SV : Built in 1846 for the lumber trade, she sank in Green Bay in 1864. She was raised in 1965 and brought to
Menominee, Michigan Menominee ( ) is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Menominee County. Menominee is the fourth-largest city in the Upper Peninsula, behind Marquett ...
as a museum. After years of neglect, she was dismantled in 1998. *SS ''John Ericsson'': The penultimate whaleback freighter, ''John Ericsson'' was scrapped in 1969 in Hamilton, Ontario. Politics, as was the case with ''Canadiana'', played a central role in the loss of the ship. *Wrecking tug ''Favorite'': The Great Lakes' best-known
salvage tug A salvage tug, known also historically as a wrecking tug, is a specialized type of tugboat that is used to rescue ships that are in distress or in danger of sinking, or to salvage ships that have already sunk or run aground. Overview Few tugbo ...
, likened to SS ''Foundation Franklin'' in the Canadian Maritimes. An attempt to save it at Sault Ste. Marie (next to failed when state funding failed to materialize and the riveted hull began to leak. She was scrapped in
Detour Township, Michigan DeTour Township is a civil township of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 807 at the 2010 census. The township is at the extreme eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula. History The area was organized in 1850 as Warren ...
. *''Lewis G Harriman'': A 1923 purpose-built cement carrier, the first of her kind, which sailed from her launch until 1980. Used as a storage barge until 2003, a group tried to save her; however, poor communications within the company saw the ship sold in 2004 and scrapped in Sault Ste. Marie by Purvis Marine. The majority of the hull was fed to the Algoma Steel Mill but the
forecastle The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is the phrase " ...
was saved as a summer cottage at Detour, Michigan. * ''Lansdowne'' and ''Huron'': The paddlewheel steam railroad ferry ''Lansdowne'', built in 1884, was modified to support a restaurant in antique rail cars; ''Huron'', built in 1875, sank at a pier in Erie, Pennsylvania. The hull was raised, but little other information about the future of the vessel is available. The hull was towed to Buffalo, New York in July 2006; however, in winter 2008 Buffalo Mayor
Byron Brown Byron William Brown II (born September 24, 1958) is an American politician who is the current mayor of Buffalo, New York. He has served as Buffalo's 62nd mayor since January 2006, the City's first African-American mayor and longest serving ...
called it an eyesore and demanded its removal. ''Lansdowne'' was scrapped in July 2008. *SS ''Niagara'': Built in 1897, the freighter was later converted into a sand-sucker. Scrapped in 1997 by Liberty Iron & Metal in
Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
(after a failed attempt to convert her into an Erie museum), she had been saved from the scrapyard 11 years earlier. *SS ''Seaway Queen'': The Canadian straight decker ''Seaway Queen'', formerly owned by Upper Lakes Shipping, was involved in an attempt to save her as a museum. The company failed to locate an organization capable and willing to preserve her; she was sold and scrapped in
Alang Alang is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Because it is home to the Alang Ship Breaking Yard, Alang beaches are considered the world's largest ship graveyard. Demographics As of the 2001 Indian census, ...
, India in 2004. * SS ''Chief Wawatam'': A historic icebreaker and the last hand-fired coal steamer on the Great Lakes, ''Chief Wawatam'' was cut down to a barge and finally scrapped by its owner (Purvis Marine of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario). * Three-masted
schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoo ...
''J.T. Wing'': Last commercial sailing ship on the Great Lakes, she was used briefly in the lumber trade. She served as a training vessel before being grounded on Belle Isle in 1949 as a museum ship, and was burned before a crowd of 6,000 in 1956. *''E M Ford'', a cement steamer, was scrapped in November 2008. *''J B Ford'', a cement steamer, was scrapped in 2015 after a failed attempt to save her. She was the oldest floating ship on the great lakes at the time of her scrapping.


Potential museums

*, launched in 1952, is still running. She had the last contact with ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' before the latter sank, and was the first would-be rescue vessel to search for ''Edmund Fitzgerald''. *Cement steamers: The cement fleet of steamers is being supplanted by tug-barge combinations like ''Integrity'' and ''Innovation''. Historic cement steamers include, ''St. Mary's Challenger'' (1906),''J.A.W. Iglehart'' (1936) and '' Alpena'' (1942). *Ore Carriers: The many ore boats of the American and Canadian fleets is filled with many different old and new ore carriers. Historical ore carriers include ''Herbert C Jackson'' (1959), ''Wilfred Sykes'' (1949), ''Cason J Callaway'' (1952), '' Lee A. Tregurtha'' (1942), ''
Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
'' (1953), SS ''John Sherwin'' (1958), ''Cuyahoga'' (1943), (1960), ''American Valor'' (1953), (1952), and the ''John G Munson'' (1952) *Tugs: Many tugs on the lakes are currently older than many of the freighters on the lakes some even were built before 1900. Historical Tugs include ''Georgia'' (1897), ''Manitou'' (1943), ''Rocket'' (1901), ''Arkansas'' (1909), ''John M. Selvick'' (1898), ''Anchor Bay'' (1953), ''Gregory J. Busch'' (1919), ''Olive L. Moore'' (1928), MT ''Undaunted'' (1944), (1915), and the '' Radium Yellowknife'' (1948) *: 1902 fire tug converted into a passenger-packet steamer for the Owen Sound Transportation Company. Her larger running mates (''Norisle'' and ''Norgoma'') have been converted into museum ships. After a stint as a floating restaurant in Toronto which ended when she was accidentally rammed by a ferry, ''Normac'' was towed to
Port Dalhousie, Ontario Port Dalhousie is a community in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Known for its waterfront appeal, it is home to the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and is historically significant as the terminus for the first three (19th century) routes of the ...
, where she serves as a floating cocktail lounge.


References


External links


''Benson Ford'' Shiphouse

''Boatnerd'' website



''William G. Mather'' website

''Valley Camp'' website

''Norisle'' website

Great Lakes Naval Memorial & Museum - USS ''Silversides'' & USCGC ''McLane''

SS ''Keewatin''

Image of ex-SS ''Lewis G. Harriman'' partially converted into a cottage as of 2010 on Shipspotting.com.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Lakes museum and historic ships + Museum and historic ships Lists of ships of the United States Great Lakes museum and historic ships
Ships A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...
Lists of museums in the United States Lists of ships of Canada